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“Sprinting back on defense is a skill” - Jaylen Brown explains how pace-and-space changed the NBA
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- “Sprinting back on defense is a skill” - Jaylen Brown explains how pace-and-space changed the NBA
With the game evolving due to advancements in players' skills and access to better training methods and equipment, NBA teams have also shifted their approach to roster construction to keep pace with today's pace-and-space game.
And according to All-Star wingman Jaylen Brown , this has affected numerous aspects of the Association, including accelerating the game's tempo and leaving a leadership vacuum in many locker rooms.
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The NBA game has changed
The NBA is now thriving in an era in which the 3-pointer has been weaponized to the nth degree. Ever since Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors rose to prominence in 2015 and proceeded to win four titles in eight seasons, every team in the league has tried to adopt the same approach: attempt as many threes as possible.
This is something Brown knows all too well, as his Celtics have been a league leader in 3-point attempts over the last few seasons.
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"I think the whole game is different now, and I've really been noticing it this year. The game has gotten a lot faster than it has been in the past. I think it's been trending that way," the five-time All-Star wingman reckoned .
The game's quick pace has also influenced teams to lean towards drafting younger players to tap into their athleticism — a stark contrast from how things used to be when teams were keen on getting the best talent possible.
"So, I think that's why teams have drafted or tried to select younger and younger guys because the pace and athleticism have all increased. And you kind of want to cater your team to that style of play," Brown explained. "So, I think the whole game has changed."
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A lack of leaders in the locker room
With teams now filling rosters with young players, the days of OGs occupying seats in the locker room are now gone. Brown said that without a respected veteran serving as a guiding voice behind the scenes, locker-room dynamics can descend into chaos, with players clashing over minutes and shots.
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It's a role that the likes of Udonis Haslem and James Johnson played to a tee in recent years. Johnson, a 16-year veteran, played only 6.3 minutes per game in his last three seasons, but his steady presence in the locker room and on the bench helped the Indiana Pacers reach the NBA Finals last season.
"I think that's also changed leadership where you have less veteran guys because now corner crashing is a skill. Sprinting back on defense is a skill. Playing without the basketball is a skill in this new form of the league," Brown exclaimed.
"You can draft those guys and they can have great careers and help your organization win, versus I feel like in the past the NBA had more talent and they drafted better players," he continued. "Now, even teams like the Boston Celtics draft utility guys to help the organization in specific roles, which I'm not sure was the case 10 years ago."
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Brown made a compelling argument, claiming that the NBA had more talent in previous years. While he's right to point out that teams are drafting more specialists than all-around talent, it's tough to say the NBA today has less talent, considering the exceptional skills seen nightly from the likes of Victor Wembanyama , Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , and even his Celtics teammate, Jayson Tatum .
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
